New leadership tool promotes health in organisations

Johan Larsson, a quality technology and management researcher, shows in his dissertation at Mid Sweden University how managerial leadership is related to the health of employees and the effectiveness of the organisation, as well as methodologies to improve the quality.

A successful leadership profile for good health, effectiveness and quality methodologies places high demands on many areas. It needs to integrate a positive view of humanity with high relationship orientation in behaviour, where structure- and change-oriented behaviours are adapted to the situation. But, well-designed leadership tools are also needed.

“At successful workplaces the managers were visible, circulating among employees and engaging them in a dialog to build up relations and glean information for decision-making,” says Johan Larsson.

The warning system is based on frequent monitoring of employee health. All information is processed in the tool's control chart, which provides statistically valid warnings when any substantial change takes place in the workplace. The system is sensitive to both minor and major changes and includes a subjective health indicator that also predicts future sickness. Managers therefore have the possibility of capturing health changes before they have even resulted in sickness. It also has a high level of security against false alarms, with a risk of about 0.27%. This means that an average of 370 measurements can be done at a workplace in statistical balance before a false alarm occurs. This corresponds to more than 30 years of use with monthly monitoring of health.

“This early warning system regarding employee health takes decision-making to a new level of precision in the field of the workplace environment,” says Johan Larsson. “It can serve as a good support for health-promoting leadership. I have not seen this type of high-precision warning system in the field of the workplace environment anywhere in the world.”

Questions may be directed to:

Johan Larsson, mobile phone: +46 (0)70-3900 390. E-mail johan.larsson@miun.se

Pressofficer Lars Aronsson; lars.aronsson@miun.se;+46-70 516 5336